Customer Reviews

Crossroads: The Life and Afterlife of Blues Legend Robert Johnson

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In the foreward to this book, Steve LaVere, long self-appointed guardian of Robert Johnson's music and legacy, claims that this is the most definitive work on Johnson that you're likely to come across. Nothing could be further from the truth. LaVere's claim is particularly surprising since his own liner notes for the 2 disc recordings of Johnson's complete works and his Johnson bio on his Delta Haze website are far more comprehensive than this book. It's also a mystery whether or not the people who wrote reviews of this book like the one in Blues Revue Magazine were at all familiar with Robert Johnson or any of the other research already published about him because this book doesn't come even close to covering what has already been written. Graves (and I REALLY don't like being critical) offers nothing new in the way of Johnson's life and actually spends only about 34 pages in the whole book dealing with facts about his life, and even that is a rehash of what we already know. I applaud Graves for giving it a shot, but the book just doesn't do it.

With Graves being from Memphis it's particularly disturbing that he doesn't really touch on Johnson's early life there except for very brief mention (literally only a few sentences with no context at all as to where he was living or what Memphis was like at that time). This is a period that many suspect was crucial in forming the young Robert Johnson. New research due out shortly should provide great depth and context to this important time for the young Johnson.

In the Memphis Commercial Appeal (newspaper) Graves states that he '"nails shut" the idea that Johnson ever claimed diabolical intervention." (that is "selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads.) A bold claim but one that doesn't hold a lot of validty: virtually all contemporary blues scholars who have written about Johnson have done the same thing, and in greater depth. A recent (February 2008) article in Living Blues magazine about Ike Zimmerman, probably Johnson's main guitar mentor) goes into much further detail in dispelling any satanic intervention.

There ARE some interesting elements to Graves' work, however, few of them have to do with Johnson's life. There's a discussion of the legend of the crossroads; the "discovery" and popularization of Johnson by John Hammond, Sr.; the growth of rock and roll and folk-rock ala Dylan; a discussion of the 1986 Ralph Macchio/Joe Seneca movie Crossroads that helped bring Johnson to the attention of a new generation; controversy over the 3.5-second film allegedly showing Johnson playing; the legal battles over the existing Johnson photos (as part of this discussion Graves makes the unfortunate choice to suggest that Johnson scholar Mack McCormick has been considered a "crackpot": - yes, he actually uses that word), and the legal suit that decided that Claud Johnson was, in fact, Robert's illegitimate son. But again, these are not new issues and anyone familiar with Johnson at all will find nothing added in this work. The liner notes that LaVere wrote for the Complete Robert Johnson recordings double CD are, in fact, a far more comprehensive look at Johnson's life than what one finds here.

There's no doubt that there is more to learn about Johnson, but this book is not it. Anyone wanting to learn about Johnson is far better off reading "Escaping the Delta" by Elijah Wald, "Robert Johnson Lost and Found" by Barry Pearson and Bill McCullouh, or as already mentioned LaVere's liner notes, or his Delta Haze website.

There's just so much missing from this book that is known that one wonders what LaVere was thinking when he made his claim in the foreward that this is a definitive work.

It's a shame that this book didn't fulfill it's stated promise.

I must say I preordered this book through Amazon.com. I guess they keep track of all of our purchases and thought I may be interested in the book. Anyway I found the book a great survey of information that has been collected or researched about RJ. The author refers to various books, videos and articles that a person can explore if they curious. Face it, many people have made Robert Johnson their lifes work! This book is not for that type of reader. But for the average listener interested in solid, basic, RJ information this book fits the bill! I have read books where a writer will breakdown how Johnson played certain passages and try to convince the reader that Johnson was some kind of musical savant with an undersatnding of music theory far beyond his fellow bluesmen. Honestly, few people need that kind of information. Graves book is a great introduction to Johnson. If the reader is so inclined there are many other books out there and many are an enjoyable read. Graves lists these sources but his book has all the information that 90 percent of all blues listeners will ever need. Hey, the book costs less than a good set of strings! Read it

I am a recent inductee to the Robert Johnson fan base. Graves' study, I feel, is quite easily digested and a good appetizer for Johnson's works. The appendix shines a critical light on several of Johnson's pieces. These reviews carried me further into the work, life and afterlife of this mysterious legend.

RJ's history, revised to suit the prejudices
of the author!!!!

Lawrence Cohn

I really enjoyed this book. It's written beautifully with ease, simplicity and it's well-researched. Highly recommended, you'll enjoy it.